Avocado Salad with Lemon and Tomato
Avocado browns through enzymatic oxidation when it meets air. Acid stops it: squeeze lemon over the cubes the moment you cut them — and put the stone in the salad bowl with cling film touching the surface if it has to wait before serving.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- —
- Total
- 15 min
- Calories
- 230
Avocado salad is an excellent source of healthy fats and takes ten minutes. Its one problem is that it browns quickly — and that has a very simple solution.
Method
-
1
Test for ripeness
Press gently near the stem end — it should give slightly. The more reliable method: flick off the stem — green underneath means ready, brown means overripe.
⏱ 3 min -
2
Prep the vegetables first
Dice the tomatoes and deseed them, salt the diced cucumber and drain it for 10 minutes, and soak the red onion in iced water. Have everything ready before you open the avocado.
⏱ 12 min -
3
Cut and lemon at once
Open the avocado, dice it and squeeze the lemon over it immediately. Every second of delay is oxidation that will darken it.
⏱ 4 min -
4
The dressing
Whisk the olive oil, remaining lemon, salt and cumin in a small bowl until emulsified.
⏱ 3 min -
5
Fold gently
Fold the avocado through the drained vegetables, coriander and chilli with a silicone spatula, in a folding motion. Vigorous mixing crushes the avocado into guacamole.
⏱ 3 min -
6
Serve
Serve immediately. If you must hold it for an hour, put the avocado stone in the bowl and cover with cling film touching the surface — both reduce exposure to air.
⏱ 3 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Lemon on the avocado immediately after cutting, not at the end of the mixing.
- Prep every vegetable before you open the avocado — it is the last thing you cut.
- Fold, do not stir — vigorous mixing crushes it.
- Cling film touching the surface blocks air far better than a lid.
People also ask
How do I stop avocado browning?
Squeeze lemon over it immediately after cutting — the acid deactivates the enzyme responsible for oxidation. For short storage, leave the stone in the bowl and cover with cling film touching the surface.
How do I know an avocado is ripe?
Flick off the little stem at the top — green underneath means ready, brown means overripe, and if it will not come off it is still unripe. A light press near the stem should also give slightly.
How do I ripen an avocado quickly?
Put it in a paper bag with a banana or an apple. Both release ethylene gas which speeds ripening — it will be ready in one or two days instead of four.
Cook mode
Avocado Salad with Lemon and Tomato
-
1
Test for ripeness
Press gently near the stem end — it should give slightly. The more reliable method: flick off the stem — green underneath means ready, brown means overripe.
-
2
Prep the vegetables first
Dice the tomatoes and deseed them, salt the diced cucumber and drain it for 10 minutes, and soak the red onion in iced water. Have everything ready before you open the avocado.
-
3
Cut and lemon at once
Open the avocado, dice it and squeeze the lemon over it immediately. Every second of delay is oxidation that will darken it.
-
4
The dressing
Whisk the olive oil, remaining lemon, salt and cumin in a small bowl until emulsified.
-
5
Fold gently
Fold the avocado through the drained vegetables, coriander and chilli with a silicone spatula, in a folding motion. Vigorous mixing crushes the avocado into guacamole.
-
6
Serve
Serve immediately. If you must hold it for an hour, put the avocado stone in the bowl and cover with cling film touching the surface — both reduce exposure to air.
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